


Denal Isn't Just a River on Naboo

by MercySewerPyro



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Denal gets some characterization, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Kix has the brain cell, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:14:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23026882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercySewerPyro/pseuds/MercySewerPyro
Summary: Courting your lieutenant is harder than Rex expects, and Kix ends up caught in the middle.
Relationships: CT-5597 | Jesse/CT-6116 | Kix, CT-6116 | Kix & CT-7567 | Rex, Denal & CT-6116 | Kix, Denal/CT-7567 | Rex
Comments: 6
Kudos: 96





	Denal Isn't Just a River on Naboo

There was something about Denal that made the lieutenant stand out, and it wasn’t just the bright blue hair.

Denal had only been a sergeant in the 501st when Rex first met him, assigned to a company that wasn’t impressive or important enough to have anything but a number. It had been Geonosis, a bloodbath by all accounts and purposes. There’d been a comm for help from a platoon that had lost its leadership, dead in the sand with a sniper shot through the neck, the voice on the other end of the line calm and sure even despite the distress call.

He’d sounded like a trooper with a plan.

And he’d had one. When Torrent Company had arrived to reinforce their line, Rex at the forefront, this leaderless platoon had already taken out a crucial gun battery with surprisingly minimal losses. While unable to advance, they had happily taken to pounding the Geonosians with their own guns, and were holding their own easily.

Denal, then just CT-7106, had waved Rex in with a grin apparent even despite still wearing his scarred helmet, and at his brief recounting of the charge the Jedi to Rex’s left had mentioned something about a specific river on Naboo. Vicious and unrelenting in a flood, but the kind of river you could rely on.

Denal had laughed and announced it sounded like a ‘damn good name’, and Rex, staring at this trooper who had beaten the odds without showing a hint of fear, had suddenly felt so weird and fluttery deep in his chest. At the time, he hadn’t known what it was, or why he was always so damn happy when Denal had moved to fight by his side during that battle. Why he’d felt so much more relieved when he’d found Denal on the list of survivors.

Rex had immediately picked him for Torrent, without even putting much thought into it. Denal was exactly the kind of person he wanted as a lieutenant in his company, he’d reasoned. His light, more easy-going nature made him easy to get along with, and he knew exactly when to both follow and _not_ follow the regs. Rex was willing to discount the daredevil streak listed in Denal’s file; he just knew he wanted him by his side.

It helped Denal didn’t let him down. Reliable and steady as his name, despite the surprise of his sudden promotion he immediately proved his worth. He was just as good of a leader as Rex had guessed, and Rex made sure to assign him to his side in most missions. In _all_ situations, Rex wanted him there to rely on.

It had started to leak into everything, without Rex even noticing. It felt _natural,_ to sit with him in the mess hall, or let Denal drag him off for sparring. He took to watching Denal train with his jetpack, almost as in awe as the shinies as the lieutenant would do flips and turns Rex was pretty sure _he_ would slam into a wall just by attempting. This didn’t stop him from asking Denal to teach him a few tricks with it, or the way his heart fluttered when Denal touched him to correct his movement while doing so.

Somehow, despite all that, he couldn’t figure out why Denal fussing over him after a collision with the floor made him feel all hot and bothered under his armour. Had thought, in all of his obliviousness, that maybe he and Denal were just really good brothers.

He didn’t realize exactly how much he wanted to be around his lieutenant, how much Denal stood out to him and _why,_ until the day Denal had pulled out a massive bottle of electric blue hair dye and announced he was going to dye his hair. And then he’d looked Rex dead in the eyes, and told him there was nothing he could do about it. And Rex, looking back at Denal with stars in his eyes, had just nodded slowly, dumbly. He knew, in that _very moment,_ that he would have let his favourite lieutenant get away with _anything_.

_Force._ Rex was in love, wasn’t he?

That cheeky, almost smug grin when Denal had turned up to the next briefing, hair dyed that blindingly bright blue, new tattoos in dark 501st blue under his eyes, mirroring the marks on his helmet? Had nearly knocked the Captain flat right then and there. He’d never been so grateful for the cover of his helmet.

The problem was just… Denal.

Ironically, the very clone Rex was so head over heels with was also the biggest obstacle for making any move. Force, had Rex _tried_. With Kix and Jesse so open you’d have to be _blind_ not to see it, he knew it was one of those times to throw out the regs and just go for it- But Denal had… Ignored him.

Every little bit of courtship seemed to fly over his head. Rex had tried flirting. He’d tried bringing Denal gifts. He’d even tried a little more physical affection than usual, a hand squeezed to reassure his lieutenant he was alright, a hug around the other’s waist when otherwise he might’ve just put his arm around the other clone’s shoulder. But either Denal was really just that oblivious, or… He wasn’t interested.

Rex didn’t know what to do, how to even just get a _straight answer_ out of Denal.

But Kix might.

So medbay is where Rex found himself, leaning against the wall as he awkwardly spilled his guts to the medic. “...Kix, at this point I’m at a loss. I can’t even tell if he’s ignoring me or just doesn’t understand what the kriff I’m doing, for force-sake.”

Kix sighed. “Sir, with all due respect, maybe you should just come out and tell him.” He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at Jesse and continued in a deadpan, “That’s what I had to do with him.”

  
  
“Hey!”

“It’s true, and you know it!” Kix shook his head. “Rex, you didn’t even realize you liked him until recently, is what I’m gathering from what you’re saying. He’s probably the same. It’s not like we get a crash course in these kinds of things.”

“...Are you sure?”

  
  
“Kriff Rex, _yes_ I’m sure. Go tell him.”

“I- Alright, Kix. Thanks for the help.” Rex nodded to the medic, expression a mixture of nervous and relieved, then pushed himself off the wall. Slipping his helmet back on, he gave the two a wave goodbye before finally heading out, determined. He had to go find Denal.

Jesse sniggered as soon as the Captain was out of earshot, watching his armoured back as it disappeared from sight. “He’s got it baaaaad.”

* * *

Rex was hitting on him. Well- Denal was pretty _sure_ the Captain was hitting on him.

At first Denal had just thought he was being nice; ever since they’d first met on Geonosis, the Captain’s companionship had felt… Easy. Natural. He’d enjoyed it, and being reassigned to work alongside Rex had been a dream come true. He was in Torrent, the best of the best. So what if he felt all weird and light and _happy_ deep in his chest whenever the Captain congratulated him?

It’d just been _right_ , to fall into step next to Rex almost everywhere he went.

And then Rex had started flirting with him, particularly after the jetpack lessons. It’d been cute, and of course Denal had been flattered, and he’d wanted to say _yes_ , but- He’d still not been sure at that point. Didn’t want to respond to something he wasn’t sure of, anyway. And by the time it was clear, Rex had moved onto gifts - chocolate, choice weaponry - and those touches that got Denal all red and flustered and speechless under his helmet. They were just _hugs_ , but somehow they got to Denal so _easily_.

Denal wanted to say yes. _Force_ , he wanted to reciprocate.

He’d realized he was in love all the way back when Rex had given him that dumb, surprised look, just before the first time he’d dyed his hair. He’d made it perfectly clear that there was nothing he, or anybody else, could do to stop him. In hindsight, Rex hadn’t just been surprised; he’d been _starstruck_.

But he hadn’t acted on it then for the same reason he didn’t act on it now. Rex… Rex was his superior officer. Regulations might be something to happily flip the middle finger up at from time to time, but here… Denal didn’t know, and that made him nervous. It was one thing to date what an outsider would see as your ‘brother’, but another to also be tangled up with your _commanding officer_. It might be a rule that if they broke it, it could get them in serious trouble. He didn’t want to get Rex in trouble.

But Denal also didn’t know how he could tell Rex _no_. How could he break his Captain’s heart like that? He wouldn’t even know where to start, how to break it to him lightly enough- If there even was such a way. So he just. Ignored it. Pretended he didn’t notice. Maybe it would go away if it looked like he was oblivious enough.

Needless to say, it had not gone away. _Rex_ had not gone away, and Denal just had to curse himself for caring too much about his Captain to make him stop.

He needed help, advice, _something_.

…Maybe Kix would know what to do. The medic sometimes seemed like he was the most level-headed man in the entire company.

So Denal had gone to the medbay, knocking nervously on the doorframe as he slipped inside. “Hey Kix.”

Kix raised a hand. “Hey. You know Rex is looking for you?”

Denal groaned. “When is he _not?”_

Kix raised an eyebrow, sharing a glance with Jesse. “You don’t want him to find you?”

“Well- No, it’s not that, it’s just-” A sigh. Denal put his head in one hand. “Kix, I need some advice.”

“You haven’t been the only one,” Kix remarked dryly. “Okay, what do you need advice on.”

“Rex is… Flirting with me. I think he’s honest to force hitting on me, and I don’t… Know how to deal with it.”

“Do you want him to stop?”

“Yes- Maybe? ...I don’t know…”

Kix merely raised a brow again, crossing his arms and nodding for Denal to go on.

Denal cringed a little. “It’s not that I don’t _like_ my Captain, it’s just…”

  
  
“‘Your’ Captain?” Jesse teased immediately.

Denal went bright red, a small, embarrassed scowl slipping onto his face. “Oh fuck _off_ , Jesse. It- It’s more complicated than that.”

“Shh,” Kix murmured to Jesse. “Come on Denal, spit it out.”

“Well, it’s just… I like him _that way_ , but… I can’t date my commanding officer.”

If Kix had possessed a hairline, Denal was pretty sure his eyebrow would’ve disappeared into it by now. “...And why not?”

Denal sputtered. “‘Why not’!? Kix, not only would it be out of line, it’d be- I don’t know, he could get in trouble! It’s the same sort of power imbalance as a Jedi and a Commander, and the regs say- ...Why. Why are you looking at me like that?”

Kix gave a very deep sigh, and pinched the brow of his nose, eyes shut. “Denal. You know what my rank is as head medic, right?”

“Yeah, but what does that have to do with-”

“I’m fucking Jesse.”

“...You’re _what_.”

And with that, Jesse, who’d been for the past minute looking like his face was about to explode, finally burst into laughter. “H-holy kriffing _SHIT_ the look on your face-” Leaning back in his chair, hand on his face, he leaned back too far- And the chair fell over backwards. Not even _that_ stopped the stream of now wheezy giggling, Jesse gasping for breath between his laughter.

Kix gave his sprawled out boyfriend a deadpan look, then turned back to Denal. “Look, Denal… Nobody cares. We’re not on Kamino any more. You won’t get in trouble with Commander Appo, and you won’t get in trouble with Skywalker. He’s too busy getting an eyeful of Naboo senator, anyway.”

“He’s- W _hat_ -”

“Yeah, I know. Just… Don’t take things so seriously sometimes. It’s okay to be nervous, but sometimes you’re as bad as that new kid, Echo.”

Denal blinked, for all intents and purposes looking like an aiwha in the headlights for a good few moments. It took him a while to recover enough to mutter, unsure, “...That was uncalled for, but- Okay. Okay. If you’re sure.”

“I’m _sure_.” Kix looked past Denal, still somewhat red from embarrassment, and nodded a greeting. “Captain.”

Denal _whipped_ around, a renewed flare of red colouring his face to the point it rivalled the blue of his hair. “I- Captain-”

Rex flashed him an awkward smile. “Hey Denal. Can we- Can we talk?”

Denal laughed, running a hand through his hair. “...Yeah, yeah we can.”

When Rex took his hand, this time Denal didn’t resist, didn’t pull away like he had occasionally before. He just let his Captain take him away, staring at the look of barely concealed nervousness on Rex’s face. He was beautiful. Denal grinned, and took a chance. “You know I love you, right?”

“Denal, I- Wait. What?”

“Steal your line?” And before Rex could sputter out anything else in response, Denal pulled the Captain, _his Captain_ close, and kissed Rex.

And the sound his Captain made in response made all of the stupid pining worth it.

* * *

  
  


Kix nudged Jesse with a foot. “Are you okay down there?”

“Yeah, yeah, just- Just give me five minutes.”

Kix rolled his eyes, but chuckled, looking up just in time to see Denal tug Rex away and out of sight by the collar. “Y’know, I thought those two might never get together.”

“You and me _both_.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is, in fact, my first attempt at properly writing any kind of romance. But it fits that I'd do a rarepair. :P
> 
> Canon to my longfic Null & Void.


End file.
